VALUE: Diebenkorn Studies (cont.)

Jim Foley

Last night the class made another drawing addressing the compositional balance of positive and negative areas on a small scale. Jim's drawing above is arranged so the objects engage with all four sides of the paper. His values are rich and contrasting and the mark-making is expressing and lively.

VALUE: Diebenkorn Studies

Last night students were introduced to the paintings and drawings of Richard Diebenkorn. The discussion examined the ways in which he would divide and address the negative space. Each student arranged their own still life of three objects. Meghann's drawing is rich in value and textural variety. Similar to Diebenkorn's work, her composition is divided into a large square area (spoon and knob), a vertical rectangle extending from top to bottom on the right and a horizontal rectangle reaching from side to side. In addition, she has controlled the lighting with a darkened and directed light surrounding the objects.

VALUE: Dramatic Effect

Last night the class made value drawings with the objective of exaggerating the lighting conditions for a more dramatic impact. Kayla's drawing exhibits very dramatic contrasts in value. Rich, dark values have been used to increase the strength of the negative areas between the objects as well as push the background. In addition, she has very effectively used atmospheric perspective which sharpens the objects in the foreground and merges the distant objects with the background.

VALUE: Texture

Erin Currie

Last night the class made drawings exploring additive and reductive techniques with the object of addressing texture and mood. Erin's drawing above is well proportioned to the paper and exhibits a strong sense of light. Her use of the erasers adds large open swaths of light as well as textural marks. In addition, the linear and tonal elements are very complementary both adding volume and texture again.

VALUE: Local Value

Margaux Fallon

Last night students made drawings addressing the local values of one dark object, one gray object and one white object. Although Margaux's drawing above could use fine tuning of the values and more attention to the background, the foundation for the drawing is very strong. Even at this early stage of the drawing there is a strong sense of light and great clarity in the values. The important areas to develop would be 1. Expand on the shading in the background to surround the objects more 2. apply gradations to the shadows 3 increase the categories of light for greater volume.

VALUE: Local Value

Emily Taylor

Megan Korsak

Last night students made drawings addressing the local values and categories of light observed in two white objects. Emily has taken a more realistic approach to rendering the forms by not including lines. The planes of the objects (mostly the cube) are expressed by juxtaposing light values against darker values. The value gradations of the bottle are smooth and gradual by comparison.
Megan has used a more subjective and stylized technique. The objects and the space appear to glow with light. The arcing space adds a sense of whimsy and surrealism. The values are rich and intense. The multiple shadows reveal the artificial lighting conditions of the studio.

VALUE: Subjective Use of Value

Meghann Lyon

Last night began with a discussion of the various uses of Value (the gradations between light and dark). Value may be used to address light, volume, mood and dramatic effect. The project last night was to use value subjectively. In other words, students were not bound to the local values of the objects. Instead, aesthetic decisions were based on the demands of the design for establishing value patterns and balance. Meghann's drawing exhibits a low key value range suggestive a nocturnal scenario. She has established rhythms of similarity of values and shapes as well. Notice the placement of the teeth in the skulls as well as those floating in the upper right hand corner.